190: Entering the battle alone and facing the secrets of heaven

Deep within the Soul Burial Mountain Range, at the core of the Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation.

Space twisted and folded, death qi and resentment were so dense they materialized, a viscous, inky darkness shrouding everything. A colossal altar, ten thousand zhang tall, constructed from countless skeletons, loomed like the spine of an ancient savage beast, rising above an boundless sea of blood. At the altar's peak, the dark red Emperor Origin Crystal pulsed like thunder, emitting a terrifying Emperor's Might that could freeze souls. Surrounding the crystal, hundreds of millions of grey-black resentful souls, like a torrent, surged madly, worshipping the Emperor!

At the center of the altar, the Pavilion Master Tianji sat cross-legged. His body was no longer shrouded in ethereal starlight, but had condensed into a semi-real, semi-illusory starlight body woven from countless destiny runes and threads of karma! His face was indistinct, only his eyes, cold as an ancient abyss, reflected the long river of destiny of the entire Central Region! His aura had already transcended the scope of a Dou Saint, infinitely approaching the legendary Emperor Realm! Only one final step remained, and then he could... achieve complete success!

“Buzz buzz buzz——!”

The entire Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation emitted a low, excited hum! The power of the array frantically extracted the heaven and earth origin and vital blood of the Central Region, transforming them into destructive energy tides that reinforced the array's barriers, isolating all external interference! Outside the array, tens of thousands of Heavenly Secret Pavilion elites and remnants of the Soul Hall formed a tight defensive formation, patrolling and guarding with murderous intent!

“Soon… it will be soon…” the Pavilion Master Tianji muttered in a low, hoarse voice. On his starlight body, lines of Emperor's Markings were slowly condensing! “Once this Emperor's Body is achieved, I can… transcend this world and control the destiny of all living beings! Xiao Chen… you are ultimately… one step too late!”

However, just as he was filled with complacent satisfaction—

“Rip——!!!”

A spatial node at the outermost periphery of the array barrier was suddenly torn open by an incredibly brutal force! A figure in a green robe, wreathed in chaotic energy, like a sharp sword tearing through darkness, brazenly… barged into the interior of the Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation!

It was Xiao Chen!

He faced this world-destroying evil array alone! The surging aura of a Five-Turn Dou Saint Peak emanating from him, compared to the terrifying pressure of the entire array, seemed like a firefly against the bright moon, yet it carried a resolute will to advance fearlessly and break all laws!

“Pavilion Master Tianji! Your doomsday… has arrived!” Xiao Chen’s voice boomed like thunder, echoing through the silent array space!

“Xiao Chen?! How… how could you possibly break into the Ten Million Souls Prostration to Emperor Formation?!” The Pavilion Master Tianji’s starlight body trembled violently, and in his cold eyes, for the first time, an expression of disbelief and shock appeared! The array barriers he had meticulously set up were enough to block the full attack of a Seventh Turn Dou Saint! How could Xiao Chen break in so easily?!

“Your destiny imprint… actually helped me a great deal!” Xiao Chen sneered. In his palm, the destiny imprint, temporarily suppressed by Origin Qi, emitted a faint glow. It was precisely by relying on the reverse perception of the imprint and the natural affinity of Origin Qi for the power of destiny that he accurately found a relatively weak destiny node in the array barrier, and then forcibly cleaved a path open with the supreme artistic conception of the Chaos Heaven Opening Axe!

“You seek death! Since you’ve walked into a trap, then stay here forever and become… nourishment for this Emperor’s Body!” The Pavilion Master Tianji was furious and shocked, his killing intent erupting like a tangible force! He slammed his hands down on the altar!

“Ten Thousand Souls Worship the Emperor! Resentful Souls Devour the Heavens!”

“Roar——!!!”

Around the altar, the torrent composed of hundreds of millions of resentful souls suddenly changed direction, transforming into a monstrous ghostly face that blotted out the sky. It opened its dark, gaping maw, and with a terrifying soul-devouring suction, fiercely bit towards Xiao Chen! Wherever the ghostly face passed, cracks were corroded into space!

“Chaos Sacred Realm! Open!” Xiao Chen showed no fear. His ten-thousand-zhang Chaos Dharma Idol instantly appeared! His two-hundred-zhang Chaos Sacred Realm fully unfolded! Within the Sacred Realm, earth, water, fire, and wind roared, and the origin qi seed emitted a soft light that purified all things! The resentful soul ghostly face crashed against the Sacred Realm’s barrier, making a hissing, corrosive sound, but it could not advance an inch! Instead, it was continuously purified and dissolved by the chaotic energy within the Sacred Realm!

“Petty tricks! Do you dare show off before an expert?!” Xiao Chen’s Dharma Idol roared in anger, and he unleashed a giant fist! On the fist's edge, the artistic conception of Chaos Heaven Opening condensed!

“Break!”

“Boom——!”

The ghostly face was smashed into pieces with one punch! Countless resentful souls let out shrill screams and dissipated into nothingness!

“Destiny… Spear of Judgment!” The Pavilion Master Tianji’s eyes turned cold, and his starlight body raised a hand in a grasping motion! Within the array, endless resentment and karmic power gathered, condensing into a gigantic grey-black spear! The spear was wreathed in a chilling destiny curse, locking onto Xiao Chen’s soul origin, as if to transcend time and space to judge his past and future!

“Go!”

The Spear of Judgment tore through the void, ignoring spatial distance, and appeared directly before Xiao Chen’s glabella!

“Origin Qi protects the body! All laws are inviolable!” The origin qi seed at Xiao Chen’s glabella shone brightly! A thin, chaotic light membrane appeared! The Spear of Judgment struck the light membrane, producing a colossal clang like metal on metal! The curse power at the spear's tip frantically corroded, but it could not break through the absolute defense of Origin Qi!

“Shatter for me!” Xiao Chen pointed his fingers like a sword, and a chaotic sword qi swept out! The Spear of Judgment broke in response!

“How is that possible?! Your Origin Qi… how can it be so pure?!” The Pavilion Master Tianji was once again horrified! He had devoured a portion of Soul Heaven Emperor’s Emperor Origin, and believed he had some control over Origin Qi, but Xiao Chen’s Origin Qi seemed to be of far superior quality to his own!

“Your Origin Qi is merely a defective product stolen from others! How can it compare to my fundamental Origin Qi, cultivated with my very life!” Xiao Chen sneered repeatedly, his attacks growing even more ferocious! The Chaos Dharma Idol took giant strides, charging directly towards the altar! His fists rained down like a storm! Each punch contained the mighty power of creation, striking the altar's defensive light cover with deafening roars! The light cover violently fluctuated, and cracks spread!

“Stop him!” the Pavilion Master Tianji roared sharply! Within the array, countless Heavenly Secret Pavilion powerhouses and Soul Hall puppets surged towards Xiao Chen like a tide! Among them were several Fifth Turn and Sixth Turn Dou Saint elders!

“Insignificant ants! Get out of the way!” Xiao Chen’s Dharma Idol roared, and the Chaos Sacred Realm suddenly expanded! The power of the world pressed down! The charging enemies were instantly slowed as if trapped in a quagmire! Xiao Chen attacked with both fists and feet, like a tiger entering a flock of sheep! With every strike, a powerhouse fell! Blood dyed the base of the altar red!

“Ten Thousand Souls Worship the Emperor! Origin Burning! Emperor Descends… Upon the World!” Seeing Xiao Chen’s unstoppable momentum, the Pavilion Master Tianji finally unleashed his trump card! He frantically activated the array! The dark red Emperor Origin Crystal pulsed even more violently! The energy of the entire array began to burn without restraint! A true Emperor's Might… began… to descend!

Above the altar, space twisted, and a blurry, ten-thousand-zhang Emperor's Shadow slowly… condensed!